Today I struggled with what a stimulus is and how to identify the stimulus and response.

My teacher helped me by designing a learning experience that allowed me to actually see a worm responding to a stimulus when we did a lab.

The use of the CCC(s) CAUSE AND EFFECT  helped me engage with the content by letting me add the water to the worm and see what happened.  I was able to watch the effect when I added the water.  

The other CCC was PATTERNS.  By seeing the patterns in the worms’ behavior in our group and in all the worms in our class I could see that most worms preferred the moist area.

I now can understand that a stimulus is the cause of the organism's response.  The response is the effect that happens to the organism after the change in the environment.

And I showed my understanding by explaining what the stimulus was in the experiment and what the response was to that stimulus.  

This new learning is important because all living things respond to stimuli and that is what keeps them alive.

B. I learned that I am missing so many learning opportunities in my lessons when I forget to include ALL 3 dimensions in the lesson. I have to make time for them to do the informational text reading, allow them time to refine their conclusions with some research and I can't rush through data analysis. I am also very aware that I will have to scaffold the students even more than Bozeman said due to a lack of strong Science instruction at the elementary level. Plus the next couple of years the students will not have had any exposure to the CCCs and SEPs.

SEP Videos notes

#1 - Asking Questions and Defining Problems

Science                                    | Engineering 
study of the phenomenon.   | solving human problems.
asks questions first that leads to inquiry.                                                                                                          | Define a problem first that leads to design.
Trying to explain phenomenon | Making something we need
Questions come from curiosity,                                                              models or theories we already
have, search for better solutions     | Questions are used to define the       
                                                                problem: Needs? Criteria? 
                                                                 Constraints? Technology? What to 
                                                                          test?
Scientific vs nonscientific questions |

From elementary to high school we need to help students refine their questioning.  Eliminate nonscientific questions.

In Science:

Structural Models - ex. DNA - shows how it is built and performs

Behavioral Models - computer programs - shows how the phenomena responds 

Functional Models - 

Types of models: mathematical, diagrams, computer simulation, analogy

In Engineering:

Models are used to test designs and build designs.

Physical and shared representations.

As teachers we need to not only help student develop models but USE them.

From elementary to high school they should be developing and using models.  Constructing drawings is important to lead to model building.  Move from developing and using models to using simulations.

***  Need to explore NetLogo  ***   And the students should then be creating and testing models they build themselves.

SEP #3 - Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

DATA DATA DATA - Analysis leads to formulating answers and / or generating new questions.

Steps: Questions → Variables → Controls

Use the variables to refine the question.  Vary ONE THING and keep all others controlled.  

Data Table - IV on Left     MV on Right

Accuracy (close to target) and Precision (close to each other but not to target)  

Sample size helps the investigation to be accurate and precise.

Goal:  plan and then carry out investigations

From elementary to high school we give them a good question and then suggest variables.  As they get older they should be asking the questions and then control the variables.  Be sure to focus on whether the data collected is good or not.  Allow students to repeat, repeat, repeat.

SEP #4 - Analyzing and Interpreting Data

In Science data analysis is used to derive meaning while in Engineering it helps test solutions.

Data must be organized and then graphed so it can be evaluated and then analyzed mathematically.

Elementary to high school progression starts with notebooking in elementary.  Collecting data into tables is later elementary followed by graphing.  Scaffold types of graphs.  Middle school they collect data and then they should be able to pick the type of graph (line - change over time, scatter - correlation, bar - comparing, pie - parts of a whole).  Late Middle is important time to teach causation vs correlation. High school slope and correlation value are important and into mathematical statistics.

SEP #5 - Using Mathematics and computational thinking

In science is allows us to represent variable and in engineering it allows design to be improved. Math is at the core of science.  Computational thinking is doing calculations using computers.  NetLogo again!!!!

Big data - we are collection so much data and need to learn how to study it and learn from it.  

In engineering use simulators to test designs

Quantities, Units and mathematical relationships.  

In elementary using the measurement tools, collecting data into data.  Using words and symbols.  Middle school needs to learn spreadsheets and probes for gathering and analysis.

SEP #6 Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions (Theories)

Theory

an idea → experiment → idea supported? → if yes then a THEORY → new evidence → improve theory → REPEAT

In engineering cycle of design is used.  Starts with explanation!

Elementary to high school - start with constructing explanations.  Middle school problems get harder but the explanations must be BETTER to fit with established facts. Designing solutions in high school is at higher level.

SEP #9 Construct Devices or Design Solutions

Engineering Process

SEP #7  Engaging in Argument from Evidence

In science allows for the best explanations to be developed and in engineering the best solutions!

Informal arguments scientists talking and sharing thoughts.

Formal arguments scientists test, evidence gathered and then information peer reviewed before publishing.

Engineers deal with problems.

Construct arguments, critique arguments and peer reviews

Elementary to High School - elementary kids should be making guesses and be able to support their claims using evidence. 

SEP #8 Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information

Formal Communication - science journals, books, presentations, websites, peer review ending in publishing findings.

Informal Communication - talking, emailing

Scientific jargon makes it difficult for students to understand scientific reading.  Another reason it is difficult is the purpose is not entertainment but to share information.  Science text is also multi-modal so student have to learn how to “read” diagrams, charts, data, etc

Consume information, create and share information - reading books but also the primary literature

Elementary to high school - Science teachers must teach science reading!  Elementary needs to be reading science articles on their level.  Spend time teaching them to read diagrams, graphs, etc.  Don’t do science experimentation in isolation but in conjunction with reading science articles.  

Communicating explanations in their notebooks and then sharing.

High schoolers should be presenting findings.  Mini-posters to present.